在默利叔叔去世的時候，各式各樣的悼詞紛至沓來。然而所有的悼詞都有同樣的一個主題：默利叔叔以服事他人來表達對上帝的愛。最能體現這一點的，莫過於他在二戰期間的服役經歷。當時他在軍中擔任醫護兵，是戰場上沒有武器裝備的醫護人員。雖然他英勇的表現使他獲得崇高的軍事榮譽，但最令人難忘的是他的愛心服事，無論是在戰時或戰後，他都帶著憐憫去服事別人。

默利叔叔的無私付出實踐了保羅對加拉太信徒的勉勵：「你們蒙召是要得自由，只是不可將你們的自由當作放縱情慾的機會，總要用愛心互相服事」（加拉太書5章13節）。但要如何才能做到呢？因為人類的敗壞，我們天生就會把自己放在第一位，而非他人。那麼，這種並非與生俱來的無私付出從何而來呢？

在腓立比書2章4-5節，保羅勸勉信徒：「各人不要單顧自己的事，也要顧別人的事。你們當以基督耶穌的心為心。」保羅講述基督因為對我們的大愛而願意被釘死在十字架上。唯有祂的靈在我們裡面生出基督的心思意念，我們才可以克服自私的天性，願意為別人犧牲自己，反映出耶穌為世人捨命的終極犧牲。願我們都能順服聖靈在我們裡面的工作。

When my “uncle” Emory passed away, the tributes were many and varied. Yet all those honors carried a consistent theme—Emory showed his love for God by serving others. Nowhere was this more exemplified than during his World War II military service, where he served as a corpsman—a medic who went into battle without a weapon. He received high military honors for his bravery, but Emory was most remembered for his compassionate service, both during and after the war.  

Emory’s selflessness lived out Paul’s challenge to the Galatians. He wrote, “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love” (Galatians 5:13). But how? In our brokenness, we’re hardwired to put self first, rather than others, so where does this unnatural selflessness come from?

In Philippians 2:5, Paul offers this encouragement: “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” Paul describes Christ’s willingness to even experience death on a cross out of His great love for us. Only as His Spirit produces the mind of Christ in us are we set apart and enabled to sacrifice for others—reflecting the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made when He gave Himself for us. May we yield to the Spirit’s work in us.